Helmets for biking and rock climbing

wildmanh

wildmanh

Part time Leather Bender/Sheath maker
Joined
Jul 9, 2000
Messages
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I'm wondering, should one use the same helmet for rock climbing and bouldering as you use for Mountain biking? I ask because later this summer I'm going to fix my mountain bike to ride it a lot. Also am planning on doing some bouldering and maybe rock climbing again. Was wondering if I can buy one Helmet for both or if I should buy one for each.

Thanks,

Heber
 
i have been a climber and a mtn. biker for years... and still to this day, there is not a helmet, that i have found, that covers both climbing and mtn. biking... i'm sure you can use one or the other, but if you look at the construction of each, they're very different... one is designed to protect your head from impact and the other is primarily designed to prtect your head from falling objects... though a BMX helmet, might be a nice blend of the 2... they're really hot... i boulder on a regular basis too and i have never worn a helmet for that...:)

check out PETZL's helmet line.. they make great products...:thumbup:
 
Id say one for each. But one is better than none.

I have a fox helmet that is pretty sweet for when I mtn bike. I think rock climbing helmets are very differant. Bike helmets have loads of vents an are designed to be aero dynamic. Rock helmets are enclosed, like BMX style helmets, and skateboard helmets.
 
I know I wouldn't want to climb in my bike helmet, which is also my skiing helmet, and my horse-riding helmet. It's a full-face job...would be a pain to climb in.

Pretty cool for everything else though and definitely protects against crashes and branches to the face!
 
A bike helmet gets hit once and you get a new one.

Usually the same is true for a climbing helmet.

But a climbing helmet might have to take multiple hits before you can get a new one. I like carbon fiber climbing helmets. I have the Hugh Banner (HB) dyneema helmet.
http://www.climbing.com/print/equipment/hbd/
http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Detailed/1998.html

I like it because it's light and makes you look like Darth Vader. It also withstands 10 repetitions of a CE penetration test, For the penetration test, a cone-shaped 3kg striker with a .5mm tip is dropped 2 meters onto the top of the helmet. The result is a simple pass/fail — while the striker can penetrate the shell of the helmet, it cannot touch the head-form. A certified helmet only has to pass once.

Bell and Giro both make good bike helmets. Get the one that fits best.
 
Bell and Giro both make good bike helmets. Get the one that fits best.
Click to expand...

+1 !

I really liked the styles of the Giro helmets. When I tried 'em on they didn't fit my narrow head (narrow ain't so bad - its aerodynamic from the factory:D ). They were rounder than the Bell helmets that tend to have a more oval shape. I went with the Bell.
 
The hard shell on cycling helmets is made of polystyrene and its job seems to be simply to hold the pieces of the styrene foam together after a crash. I've 'destructive tested' several bike helmets over the years and they have finished the same way: like a pan of jiffy-pop with the shell holding the (now 'popped') styrofoam chunks together. Twice they have literally saved my life.
But that's just from my own experiences with Bell, Giro, and Garneau buckets (rode on a sponsored team 15 years ago). I think about the only bike helmet I'd want to use for climbing might be an old V1 Pro or maybe the venerable SkidLid because of the harder shell. But then, I'm not too familiar with what's available now for climbing.
JMHO
 
Guys, thanks a lot for the information. I figured I should buy one for each but wanted to ask first. When I get my bike fixed in a month or two, I'll get a helmet to go with it. I only have one working eye (been blind in the other since birth) so I wear safety glasses when I'm out side to protect the good one. I actually have at least 2 pares of glasses that I wear, tinted and non tinted and even some goggles in my camping gear. If I'm spending so much on my eye protection, I think the rest of my head is worth it. Thanks again!

Heber
 
Youre head is definatly worth it. A TBI is no joke dude. I have seen a lot of younger guys whos life quality was taken away due to not takin simple precautions. Its sad. You are makin a good call, and Im glad to have been able to help ya out!
 
ilbruche said:
Bell and Giro both make good bike helmets. Get the one that fits best.
Click to expand...

Been riding Giro helmets for 15+ years. Just got a new one this past Christmas. A big +1 for them on Mt. Bikes for sure...

Xen:
Giro_Xen.jpg
 
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